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“Alta”

Occasion:	Cuisine:	Area:	Cost:	Rating:
Night Out	Spanish	West Village	Cheap Eats	Great

ALTA

The rain was ridiculous. It was pouring out of the sky at river speed—coming at me sideways, straight on, upside down. It was everywhere. Standing on the corner of Third Avenue, trying to get a cab, I almost turned back. But then, like a knight in shining armor, I saw the light—well, more accurately, the lit numbers of an empty cab heading my way. Is there anything better than that on a stormy night? And so I managed to make it over to Alta without drowning, which was quite nice because I was not in the mood to drown. I was hungry.

And so I stepped inside Alta and found a room that felt like an old charming taverna somewhere in the countryside of the Basque region in Spain—thick raw beams, Portuguese tiled floors, wrought iron chandeliers lit with votive candles, and saffron clay walls. Susie was already at the bar working on a glass of red, checking out the menu. I sat down next to her and started checking out the bartender. He was tall and broad, with thick light brown hair, and baby blues. He offered me a glass of wine. Far be it for me to refuse wine from a man resembling Brad Pitt, I accepted his offer gladly. He was yummy. Okay, so at this point, I was in love with Alta, the Spanish-inspired spot that opened on West 10th Street a few months ago, owned by Christopher Chestnut, the man behind El Teddys in Tribeca. Give me a hot bartender, a glass of red, and a low-lit room, and I am done.

But I liked Alta for reasons well beyond the bartender. There’s a great wine list with a variety of price points that covers Spain, Italy and France, and an impressive international selection of small batch and organic lagers and ales—Magic Hat, Pinkus Organic, Geary’s Pale Ale, Abita, Nora, and Hennepin are all on the list, and there are about a half dozen more micro-brewers.

But one of my favorite things about Alta was what I discovered written in a box at the end of the long yellow menu that includes 35 dishes ranging from tapas, to salads, small plates and fish and meat entrees. The box reads: “THE WHOLE SHEBANG: That’s right folks, everything on the menu, desserts not included, for $275. Recommended for large groups of 6 or more, or less if you have really big appetites.” How great is that? While I am usually of the less is more mentality, there are those times when, well, more is more. No, we didn’t make it through the whole menu, but we did get through a good part of it, and were quite interested in returning with ... [more, click below]

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Posted: July 18, 2004

Other restaurants in West Village :
+ Jefferson-- Closed   + La Palapa Rockola   + Sumile   + Babbo   + Tasca   + AOC Bedford   + Home   + The Spotted Pig   + Barbuto   + Numero 26   + Mas   + August   + Alta   + Cru   + Blue Mill Tavern-- Closed   + Employees Only   + Lassi   + Metropol--Closed   + Turks and Frogs   + Bellavitae   + Yumcha-- CLOSED   + Gusto: SEE EARLIER REVIEW; THIS CHEF HAS LEFT GUSTO   + Perry Street   + Home   + Ditch Plains   + The Little Owl   + Cafe Condesa   + Cafe Cluny   + Gusto   + The Waverly Inn   + Morandi   + P*ONG   + Perilla   + Soto   + Market Table   + Centro Vinoteca   + Barfry   + Dell'Anima   + Bar Blanc   + Smith's   + Commerce   + Elettaria   + Bar Q   + Cabrito   + 10 Downing   + Minetta Tavern   + Braeburn   + Scuderia, by guest reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Bar Blanc Bistro by Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Joseph Leonard   + Bar Henry, by Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Kin Shop   + Monument Lane   + Wong   + Bin on Bleecker, by Dara Pollak   + Ristorante Rafele   + Cole's Greenwich Village by Guest Reviewer Claire Jaffe   

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